NATIONAL:
1. Bamboo Crash Barrier “Bahu Balli”
Why in news - World's first 200 m long Bamboo Crash Barrier has been installed on the Vani-Warora Highway, Maharashtra.
Key Points –
• Crash barriers - Installed on either side of a highway to prevent vehicles from moving out of the road network.
• Bamboo species used - Bambusa Balcoa. It was treated with creosote oil and coated with recycled High-Density Poly Ethylene (HDPE).
• It was tested at National Automotive Test Tracks (NATRAX), Indore (MP).
• NATRAX (11.3km long) high-speed track is the longest in Asia and the fifth largest in the world.
GOVERNMENT SCHEMES:
1. Safe City Projects
Why in news - Amit Shah launched Safe City Projects in Bengaluru, Karnataka.
Key Points –
• Aim – to equip the police with technology to meet the challenges of the future.
• It is being implemented on a trial basis in 8 cities.
• Budget - Rs. 2,840 crores.
• In Nov 2022, PM Narendra Modi called for constituting a High-Power Police Technology Mission under Amit Shah to adopt future technologies for policing requirements.
• Centre for Internet Security – Bengaluru.
2. FinEMPOWER
Why in news - BSE and UN Women India launched “FinEMPOWER” program at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE).
Key Points –
• Aim - to empower women towards financial security.
• BSE and UN Women India organised “Ring the Bell” for Gender Equality ceremony to accelerate investment in women leaders and entrepreneurs.
ENVIRONMENT:
1. Urban Cooling Program
Why in news - Tamil Nadu has signed an MoU with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Key Points –
• Aim - to develop a comprehensive urban cooling programme to meet objectives under Tamil Nadu State Action Plan on Climate Change.
• National cooling program to support Indian cities to implement sustainable cooling is implemented by UNEP, National Institute of Urban Affairs and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark.
• It is being delivered under the framework of Cool Coalition and the India-Denmark Green Strategic Partnership.
2. UN High Seas Treaty
Why in news - On March 4, 2023, a draft international agreement referred to as the UN High Seas Treaty was finalized.
Key Points –
• The agreement was reached at UN headquarters in New York.
• Aim - to govern the conduct of governments (conserve Biodiversity) in ‘open seas’ or high seas.
• “Open seas” - World’s oceans beyond the jurisdiction of any one country i.e., beyond the Exclusive Economic Zones (from coast of a country to 200 nautical miles or 370 km into the sea).
• It is also referred to as the ‘Paris Agreement for the Ocean’.
• Once ratified by countries (pass it in their own Parliaments), it will become legally binding.
• It was negotiated under the United Nations Convention on Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982.
• Agreements on the actions of parties are to be taken based on consensus.
• Currently, there is no treaty for conserving the health of vast swathes of the earth’s oceans.
• High or open seas constitute two-thirds of the world’s oceans, and only 1% of them are legally protected.
• ‘30×30’ goals (COP 15 of CBD) - to conserve 30% of terrestrial and marine habitat by 2030.
REPORTS & INDICES:
1. 9th Women, Business and the Law 2023 Report
Why in news – The report was released by The World Bank.
Key Points –
At regional level -
• India’s score - 74.4 out of 100.
• India’s score is higher than the regional average observed across South Asia (63.7).
• Maximum score in South Asia - 80.6 (Nepal).
At Global Level –
• 14 countries scored a perfect 100 e.g., Belgium, Canada, Denmark etc.
• Since 1970, the global average has improved by about two-thirds, rising from 45.8 to 77.1 points.
• It identifies barriers to women’s economic participation and encourages reform of discriminatory law in 190 economies.
• 8 indicators - Mobility, Workplace, Pay, Marriage, Parenthood, Entrepreneurship, Assets, and Pension.
ECONOMY:
1. Har Payment Digital
Why in news - RBI launched ‘Har Payment Digital’ mission during Digital Payments Awareness Week 2023 (DPAW).
Key Points –
• Theme - “Digital Payment Apnao, Auron ko bhi Sikhao” (Adopt digital payments and Teach others also).
• Aim - to make every person in India a user of digital payments.
• DPAW - March 6 to 12, 2023.
• Payments Vision 2025 (of RBI) theme - "E-Payments for Everyone, Everywhere and Everytime".
SECURITY:
1. FRINJEX-23
Why in news - The maiden joint military exercise between the Indian and French Army started in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala.
Key Points –
• Venue - Pangode Military Station.
• Theme - Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief Operations in a Contested Environment.
AWARDS & HONOURS:
1. BBC Indian Sportswoman of the Year 2022
Why in news - Mirabai Chanu has bagged the 2022 ‘BBC Indian Sportswoman Of The Year’ award.
Key Points –
• She is Tokyo Olympic Games (2020) silver-medallist weightlifter.
• She became the first athlete to win the award twice in a row (1st – 2021).
• At the Tokyo Games, she had become the first Indian to win a silver in the sport.
APPOINTMENTS:
1. Rashmi Shukla
Why in news - IPS Rashmi Shukla has been appointed as the Director-General of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB).
Key Points –
• SSB - Border guarding force of India deployed along its borders with Nepal and Bhutan.
• SSB is one of the seven Central Armed Police Forces under the administrative control of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
2. S.S. Dubey
Why in news - S.S. Dubey took charge as the 28th Controller General of Accounts (CGA).
Key Points –
• CGA is ‘the Principal Advisor’ on Accounting matters to the Union Government.
• CGA is responsible for establishing and managing a technically sound Management Accounting System of the Union Government.
SPORTS:
1. 2nd Men’s Junior World Kabaddi Championship 2023
Why in news - India beat Iran (41-33) to claim the maiden title.
Key Points –
• Pakistan and Nepal were the joint bronze medallist.
• Venue - Urmia, Iran.
2. Dick Fosbury
Why in news - American high jumper Dick Fosbury passed away at 76.
Key Points –
• He revolutionised high jump technique with the Fosbury Flop.
• Fosbury Flop - Fosbury turned his back to the bar and arched his body over it to win gold at the 1968 Mexico City Olympics.
• The Fosbury Flop is now the most used technique around the world.
STATES/UTs:
1. Mauganj
Why in news - Mauganj, a tehsil of Rewa, became Madhya Pradesh’s 53rd district.
Key Points –
• It would be developed by joining four tehsils of Rewa district i.e., Mauganj, Hanumana, Nai Garhi, and Deotalab.
BIHAR:
1. AIIMS Darbhangha
Why in news – Hon’ CM Nitish Kumar justified earmarking a parcel of land at Shobhan, Darbhanga for construction of second AIIMS in the state.
Key Points –
• AIIMS Darbhangha was included in the union government budget for fiscal 2015-16.
• On Sept 15, 2020, the union cabinet approved 750-bed AIIMS in Darbhanga, to be built at a cost of Rs 1,264 crore.
• In November 2021, Bihar cabinet gave its nod to the project.
• Area earmarked - 150 acres.
• The site is just three kilometres from the East-West Corridor (NH 27, Length - 3,507 km, Silcher to Porbandar).
• Bihar’s first AIIMS – Patna
POINTERS:
• In which city the meeting of Tourism Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organization will be held on March 17-18 – Varanasi.
• USA, Australia and which country have announced the agreement for the AUKUS nuclear submarine plans - the United Kingdom.
• What amount of loan has been given to MSME under Emergency Credit Line Guarantee Scheme – Rs 3,61,000 crores.
• Pfizer will spend $43 billion to acquire which company - Seagen (Cancer Drugmaker).
• India and which country have qualified for the World Cricket Test Championship – Australia.
• Which country has bagged Golden & Silver Star at The International 'Golden City Gate Tourism Awards 2023' in 'TV/Cinema Commercials International and Country International' Category at ITB, Berlin 2023 – India (Ministry of Tourism).
• Which has become the first metro in India to accept digital currency for parking - Kochi Metro.
• Which country has recently introduced Illegal Migration Bill - the United Kingdom.
• Which union minister has unveiled the pilot trial of MD15 buses (methanol-powered buses) and Prototype launch of M100 (100% Methanol) - Nitin Gadkari.
• Which state has recently launched a new health program 'Arogya Mahila' – Telangana.